The Martha Tale
by Horsesareamazing
Summary: This is how a Martha named Wendy got involved in Gilead, her life inside Gilead and her escape. One shot class assignment.


The Martha Tale

My name is Wendy. In the world of Gilead, I was a Martha for a commander and his wife. I cleaned their house, cooked for them, and raised their son for them. I was known as Martha 6817-402 but Marthas' lucky enough to work in a commander's house are allowed to keep their real names.

What is a Martha and how did I become one? Marthas are older women past childbearing age who are loyal to Gilead. The number of Marthas depend on the commander's rank in his group of fellow commanders. The Commanders based the Martha servants off the Bible in the book of Luke chapter 10 verses 38-42 which says 38 As Jesus and his disciples were on their way, he came to a village where a woman named Martha opened her home to him. 39 She had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord's feet listening to what he said. 40 But Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made. She came to him and asked, "Lord, don't you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me!"41 "Martha, Martha," the Lord answered, "you are worried and upset about many things, 42 but few things are needed—or indeed only one. [f] Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her." While it is difficult work, there are two worse things I could do; I could be declared an unwoman (not human) and be sent to clean toxic waste in the colonies or be a servant at Jezebels, the nightclub/ prostitution house where the commanders and their guests go to fulfill their sexual desires. I got the better end of the deal as a Martha because my son and I thought that Gilead was a good idea when it was first proposed to us.

A year before the attack on the capital my son Timothy and I were invited by a fellow church member to go to a group called the Sons of Jacob. Timothy was twenty at the time and I was in my early forties. Our friend Andrew Price lead the meetings with his friend Fred Waterford.

Andrew began the meeting. "Our world has a crisis. There is not enough babies being born each year and climate change has become a major problem. We feel that the world is being punished by lack of faith. There is not a lot we can do about the rest of the world but we can fix our country by returning our country to Biblical values. Our idea is this: we execute every member of the three branches of government at the same time so there is no one to take over but us. We slowly remove rights from women until they are back in their rightful places in the home. The men will work outside the home as security for the new government and regular jobs like people have now. The regular workers will be our economen and their wives will be econowomen who bear children, cook, and clean in the home. The commanders and their wives will be men and women who lead the takeover. These people will have servants; Marthas to care for the home, a security guard, and a handmaid to have children for the commander and his wife. Women called Aunts will train the Handmaids and Marthas."

"How do people get assigned to a class?" I asked.

"Simple. Men who have jobs vital to the economy and support the takeover will become apart of the econoclass along with their families. Men who are single will become guardians. Women who are single will either be married off, become Marthas or Aunts. Sinful women who can bear children will become handmaids. Sinful people who cannot bear children will either go to Jezebels, the Colonies or die." Explained Fred. Later that night Timothy and I agreed Gilead was a good idea. After weeks of more meetings Timothy became a guardian. He took part of the destruction of the capital. He shot at protesters who were causing mayhem in the streets. He went from DC to Connecticut to help with the takeover and was killed in the process. Several months went by. Since I had been a loyal supporter of Gilead from the beginning I was invited to be a Martha. Given that I was no longer fertile and had no teaching skills I had few options so I agreed.

I was taken to a Martha Center with dozens of other women to be trained. Most of us already knew how to cook and clean. We just needed to perfect our skills since Gilead wanted to make certain foods from scratch such as bread. We learned how the new shopping system would work. We were taught how to use a clothesline and who got what colored clothing. Sadly we were no longer allowed to read or write but we had enough going on in our lives that we would not have time to miss it. We were taught how to speak to the rest of our household- fellow Marthas, the wife, the commander, the handmaid, the guardian, the children as well as the body language to use. One woman decided she did not want to follow what she thought were unnecessary rules so she was sent to the colonies. I passed my training and was assigned to the Braxtons.

Neil and Sarah Braxton were not considered high class commanders so they only had me as a Martha. Other higher ranking commanders could have up to three Marthas to care for the house. We also had a Guardian who watched over the house and drove Commander Braxton to meetings and Mrs. Braxton to tea time. I cleaned the house each day, did the daily shopping, and made all the meals. I was relieved when a handmaid was assigned to the house because that meant that shopping could be crossed off my list. I enjoyed the daily walks outside but it took up time that I needed to do my other duties and if my duties were not done correctly the wife was allowed to yell at and hit me. My duties took so long to do because the return to traditional values meant that all food was made from scratch, clothes were washed by hand, and this big house needed to be cleaned daily. There was no junk food just home baked goods. My training helped me remember the recipes since I was no longer allowed to read.

The handmaid who moved in one month after my arrival, I later learned her real name is Kelsey, was referred to as OfNeil because she was a slave to Neil Braxton. Six months after her arrival she was pregnant. I was excited. I had been given her shopping tokens, partaking in the monthly ceremonies with her, and giving her food and clean clothes in her room. She was now a higher status than me because she was carrying a miracle. She could now justify her room and board. The wife had her fellow wives over for tea and snacks every month at which point Kelsey would be paraded out to endure the wives feeling her belly and congratulating Mrs. Braxton. I saw how upset the handmaids were at a birth that happened a few weeks before the Braxton son was due and got to wondering if Gilead was flawed. I realized these handmaids were women who had been trying to live life the best way they knew how. They had children stolen from them despite in PreGilead times they would be considered excellent parents. At the birth day I heard the handmaids talking about how the wife would sit above the handmaid and pretend to push a baby out. She would then take the baby into bed with her and name the baby.

I realized Gilead had a cruel streak and wanted to do something about it. A fellow Martha told me about a resistance network called Mayday. I continued to learn how awful Gilead really is and how they are not following the Bible at all. I learned about murder plots and escapes that were lead by Mayday and wanted to be a part of it.

In March almost three years after I first heard about Gilead Kelsey's son was born. I say Kelsey's son because she is the real mother. She loved that boy and named him Daniel but he was known as Mark because that is what the wife picked. Wendy got to stay for another four months and nurse Daniel Mark because Gilead believes in mother's milk. Other than nursing him Wendy had no interaction with her son. The Braxtons would hold him, coo over him, and show him off like he was a trophy they won but I was the main caregiver. I entertained him, cleaned him up and dressed him. I was thrilled to be allowed so much interaction because it reminded me of raising my son Timothy. It soon came time for Wendy to leave. I went into her room before the ceremony with the Braxtons and an Aunt where Wendy was to hand over Daniel Mark. I promised that I would care for him and keep him safe. She asked me to get the two of them out when her son was at least six months older so we could be sure he would have a better chance at surviving the journey. I agreed to her terms. I made arrangements with fellow Marthas and Guardians apart of Mayday. I made sure to keep up the face of an obedient Martha so no one would suspect a thing.

Before I knew it the day had come. A supply helicopter was headed for Canada and there was room for Wendy, Daniel and me to meet the copter and get out. A handmaid across town just so happened to go into labor and with so many people around it would be a while before anyone would notice we were gone. Several Guardians and Marthas escorted us to the plane. We safely lifted off and made it to Canada.


End file.
